Vera Verona (Smith) BOOMGARDEN

BOOMGARDEN, SMITH, RIPPENTROP, HELMICH, STEPONENAS, ROBERTS, BLOOM, BROWN, GRIEFZU, KNABEL, BARTELL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 10/19/2008 at 20:16:53

Headlight Herald, Tracy, Minnesota
February 22, 2006

Vera Boomgaarden, 91

A former Tracy woman has died in Missouri at the age of 91.

Vera Verona (Smith) Boomgaarden, daughter of Thomas Martin and Maggie (Rippentrop) Smith, was buried in Lennox Cemetery, Lennox S.D., Feb. 14. She died at St. Luke’s Hospital, Kansas City, MO., on Feb 9. She was the wife of the late Rev. Neelo Janssen Okken Boomgaarden, who served at the First Presbyterian Church of Tracy in 1945.

She was born March 28, 1914 at the homestead in what is now Lakota, IA; before WW II the town was called Germania. She was baptized in the First Presbyterian Church in Lakota, IA on July 5, 1914. Vera received her education at Holmes Grade School and in sixth grade she attended New Central School in Rochester, MN. After graduation from Rochester High School in Rochester, , she attended Macalester College in St. Paul, for 2 1.2 years, majoring in religion and French. She was active in the Drama Club, wrote a play called, “The Life of Christ,” and wanted to become a missionary in Thailand. Her future husband, Rev. Neelo Janssen Okken Boomgaarden, began his ministry at the First Congregational Church in Buffalo Center, IA, where the couple met in 1934. They were married in the First Presbyterian Church in Rochester on August 2, 1936.

They began a life of ministry to many churches: Buffalo Center, IA; Alexander, IA; Tracy, MN; Ellsworth, MN; Reading, MN; Marion, SD; Alexandria, NE; Fullerton, NE; and Early, IA where they built their retirement home. Vera was active her entire life in many church functions, on Presbytery committees and boards, leader of Presbyterian Women’s Associations, circles, and Youth Fellowship Groups in almost every church they served. Writing and directing plays was a passion, especially with young adults and youth fellowship groups. Mission work was also extremely important to her. Vera gave of her faith as a caregiver to elderly people in the community and to family members whether far or near to ensure stability during their separation and grieving processes. She loved to read books of any kind, and helped sustain and keep libraries alive in several towns. Later in life, she got to travel and really enjoyed trips to Thailand, Europe, Israel, etc. In 2000, Vera became a resident of the Waterford Ladies Home in Blue Springs, MO where she enjoyed companionship of new friends. On Jan. 30, 2006, she suffered a stroke and was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, MO. Funeral Services were held at Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church in Blue Springs, MO Feb. 13. The family requests that Memorials be given to Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church 3108 Westbound 40 Hwy, Blue Springs, MO 64015.

Vera is survived by three children: Neelo Dan and wife Joan Louise (Helmich) of Omaha, NE, Jon Owen and wife Irene (Steponenas) of Omaha, NE, and Verona Sue (Roberts) and husband David of Blue Springs, MO; seven grandchildren: Jon David (J.D.) Roberts of Columbia, MO, Adrian Lynn Roberts of Blue Springs, MO, Laurie Ann (Roberts) Bloom and husband T.J. of Lee‚s Summit, MO, James Brian Roberts and wife Mendy (Brown) of Austin, TX, Chad Owen Boomgaarden and wife Nicole (Kalas) of Chicago, IL, Carrie Allison Boomgaarden of Omaha, NE, Chelle Lynn Boomgaarden of Omaha, NE; one great-grandson: Ashton James Boomgaarden of Chicago, IL; one sister: Violet (Smith) Griefzu of North St. Paul, MN; and one aunt: Gertrude Knabel of Stoddard, WI. Vera was preceded in death by her father in 1950, her mother in 1964, her husband Neelo in 1972, her son Neelo Brian 12 days after birth in 1938, her sister Lola Beulah (Smith) Bartell in 1978, and her three brothers in 1996: Forrest Elgin Smith, Melvin Vincent Smith, and Arthur Thomas Smith.